My adjournment this evening is a matter for the Minister for Families and Children, and it is in relation to a matter that was raised in question time today. It is in respect of kindergarten funding. It is clear that when children are born their brains are actually much the same; it really does come down to the opportunities that are provided to children. In providing for that, this government is aware that children in smaller rural communities have got less opportunities because of geography than their counterparts in other parts of the state. That is why we have committed to the small rural kindergartens funding model, a new model introduced by this government. There has been an extra $500 000 of additional funding to that program in recent times. Indeed in my electorate of Western Victoria Region we have benefited enormously.
But despite all of that, there is misinformation being peddled right through the electorate, and in particular I must say that the member for Ripon in the Legislative Assembly has been putting out letters attacking Ms Pulford and me in respect of this. Indeed there has been a petition circulating in my electorate, in places like Donald and Charlton and a number of other places not just through my electorate but other electorates. The action I am seeking is for the minister to actually come to Western Victoria Region, sit down with small rural kindergartens and the community members and talk through the many challenges that they are facing, and also, importantly, to correct the misinformation that is being peddled right through the electorate.